Lifesaving Services for Botswana's Youth

When the world feels heavy, healing begins in small moments, a brushstroke of colour in art therapy, a shared laugh during group counselling, or a deep breath in a stress-free zone. This year, because of your generosity, hundreds of Botswana’s youth found those moments again through Stepping Stones International’s counselling and group sessions counselling.

Your donations helped us reboot lifesaving mental health servicesfor young people and families who had nowhere else to turn. With your support, the team provided:

432 individual counselling sessions — where children and youth found safe spaces to unpack trauma, grief, and anxiety. Over 70% showed measurable emotional stability and renewed hope.

8 art therapy groups — where creativity became medicine. Youth painted their emotions, rediscovered their self-worth, and walked away with confidence and belonging.

67 trauma-healing EMDR clients — who faced the darkness of violence, loss, and rejection, and emerged lighter, calmer, and stronger. For young people living with HIV, EMDR restored both mental and physical wellbeing.

42 group psychoeducation sessions — where stress management and grief were turned into lessons in resilience, friendship, and peer support.

Family-based and grannies’ sessions — reminding us that healing multiplies when families talk, trust, and grow together.

We held an HIV awareness event that inspired courage, compassion, and unity among youth. Several were referred for HIV testing.

Next goal: To reach 500 more youth with counselling, art therapy, and family sessions because every child deserves to heal, dream, and thrive.

In the sun-drenched fields of Goodhope, Botswana, a revolution is unfolding. The revolution is one where the rhythm of a soccer ball echoes the heartbeat of a community determined to rise above HIV. Through our project, Reboot Lifesaving Services for Botswana’s Youth, we are not just fighting a virus. We are igniting a spark in the hearts of young people, transforming them into confident leaders, fearless advocates, and architects of a healthier tomorrow. This is more than a program, it is a movement, fuelled by the passion of youth, the thrill of soccer, and the unwavering support of donors like you. The results? They are a game-changer.

Picture a dusty soccer pitch in Goodhope, alive with the laughter and energy of 52 young trailblazers, 23 boys and 29 girls. who are rewriting their futures. At Lotlamoreng CJSS, our Grassroots Soccer (GRS) program harnesses the universal language of soccer to deliver life-changing lessons. Over eight transformative modules, these young heroes tackle HIV/AIDS prevention, gender equality, healthy relationships, puberty, peer pressure, respect, consent, leadership, and access to health services.

Each session is a masterclass in empowerment. Through dynamic, soccer-based activities, participants do not just play, they learn. They dodge peer pressure with the agility of a striker, build self-esteem with the precision of a perfect pass, and embrace respect and consent with the strength of a goalkeeper’s save. Facilitators lead electrifying discussions, turning the pitch into a classroom where youth discover how to protect themselves and uplift their communities. The scoreboard tells the story: 100% completion across all 52 participants, a resounding victory made possible by your generosity. Every kick, every goal, every cheer was a step toward a future free from HIV’s shadow.

This is the story of Goodhope, a story of resilience, transformation, and hope. Your contributions empowered 52 youth to complete the Grassroots Soccer GRS program. The program also transforms boys into champions of respect and provides a lifeline to families in crisis. However, the game is far from over. With your continued support, we can expand our reach, train more coaches, engage more youth, and strengthen the safety net for those in need.

Every dollar you give is a goal scored against HIV, a step toward equality, and a spark of hope for Botswana’s youth. Join us in this revolution. Visit our project page to donate today and become part of a movement that is not just changing lives, it’s transforming an entire community. Together, we are kicking HIV out of Goodhope and scoring a brighter, healthier future for all. Re-boot !